Area business briefs

February 8, 2013

A job fair for people looking for training or work in the oil and gas industry will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 29 at the Holiday Inn South, 7410 South Ave., Boardman.

It's sponsored by Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, the Ohio Oil and Natural Gas Association and the Regional Chamber.

''As production in the Utica shale ramps up, companies will need to fill thousands of skilled positions,'' Portman said. ''This career fair will connect Ohioans with potential employers and enable us to take full advantage of this great natural resource.''

Ryan helps found task force on Delphi pensions

U.S. Rep. Timothy J. Ryan, D-Niles, has joined his Republican counterpart Mike Turner, also of Ohio, to found the Auto Industry Pension Task Force for the 113th Congress.

It is an informal group focusing on the termination of Delphi Salaried Retiree pensions.

"The work of the Task Force will be to build a coalition of members that will help us ensure that the Delphi retirees can continue their retirement knowing that they will have the benefits promised to them while they were working," Ryan said.

"The Delphi Salaried Retirees for too long have been denied the answers and resolution to the issue of their pensions being unjustly slashed. This Task Force will help amplify their voice in the halls of Congress," Turner said.

Ryan and Turner have worked together on this issue after thousands of Ohio Delphi salaried retirees had their pensions slashed by up to 70 percent in some cases.

Brown: Reduce trade deficit to increase jobs

A report released Thursday by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown shows that if the U.S. would reduce its trade deficit with China, it would result in nearly 200,000 jobs being created in Ohio.

Results of the study contained in a news release from the Democrat say other impacts of addressing the deficit would be a reduction in the state's umemployment rate by 1.3 percent to 2.7 percent, and increasing the Buckeye State's gross domestic product between $8.3 billion and $17.4 billion.

One way to reduce the deficit by $400 billion over three years was to to eliminate global currency manipulation, he said.

Brown, a strong advocate for cracking down on Chinese currency manipulation and correcting the trade imbalance, said the deficit is ''more than just a statistic.''

''When industry and the government get tough on cheaters and enforce our trade laws, America wins,'' Brown said in the release.